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Feats of Hercules

THE DAY IT RAINED PARATROOPERS

At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the dramatic highlight of the 15-day joint United States Army-Air Force winter training maneuvers was another impressive “Feat of Hercules: 25 Lockheed prop-jet C-130 HERCULES transports paradropped 1,000 combat-ready infantrymen and battle equipment – in less than 10 minutes.

Powered by four General Motors Allison Prop-jet Engines, the mighty C-130 HERCULES holds the world’s record for the heaviest load ever parachute-extracted from a plane: 30,370 pounds. At the touch of a push-button, paradrop cargo glides out the huge 9-foot by 10-foot aft cargo door of the HERCULES – and floats down to land with bull’s-eye accuracy at the spots where it is needed.

At 135,000 pounds gross weight the HERCULES can take off over a 50-foot obstacle in 4,200 feet. Airborne, it climbs 2,450 feet per minute, attains 30,000-foot altitudes, and cruises at 305 knots. Landing at 100,000 pounds gross weight, the C-130 HERCULES can stop (with propellers fully reversed) in only 1,400 feet of runway. This go-anywhere, haul-anything propjet giant is now in service or scheduled for delivery to: the USAF’s Tactical Air Command, USAF-Europe, Pacific Air Command, Air Photo and Charting Service, other U.S. Armed Forces branches, and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Lockheed Aircraft Corporation GEORGIA DIVISION Marietta, Georgia, U.S.A.

LOCKHEED means leadership

Reference publication: Flight July 18th 1958

Thanks to Dave Robinson for this Hi Res ad

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